If you’re going to run a good business, you’ll need to know the tools of your trade, literally and figuratively. Sometimes it’s knowing how to find talent. Other times it’s owning the crane nobody wants to buy. Because here’s the thing: every project needs both muscle and machines. And neither comes cheap these days, especially in the world of construction.
The U.S. construction industry needs around 439,000 new workers this year just to keep up with demand, according to some estimates. So when someone says “tools,” they might mean manpower — or literally heavy machinery.
If you’ve taken on a home renovation project recently, you might have noticed that it can be hard to find the guy or gal for the job.
Grant Alexander is Board President of the Master’s Guild of Acadiana, an organization set up to train people for the trades and fill the skills gap. Grant was born in Gulfport, lived in Lafayette, and studied communication at UL. While running an insulation business, he saw firsthand that having tools means nothing without people who can use them.
Grant Alexander, Board President of the Masters Guild of Acadiana where they teach folks a trade as well as the soft skills a tradesperson needs to succeed
Later, Grant opened a local home fixtures franchise and again ran into the same roadblock. They had the supplies, but not the skilled workers to install them. That experience inspired the Master’s Guild of Acadiana.
Now, the Master’s Guild teaches everything from basic construction skills to job-readiness. The goal is to help budding builders hit the job site ready to work.
Even a skilled worker needs the right tool. And sometimes, the right tool is an excavator. Troy Dowling is Branch Manager at SitePro Rentals in Broussard. SitePro offers the machines tradespeople need but often can’t justify owning.
Troy Dowling, Manager of the Broussard branch of Sitepro Rentals, an employee-owned company where $14m worth of tools and equipment means everyone from professional contractors to home renovation weekend warriors can find the tools they need to do the job
Troy was born in New Iberia, and spent six years in the Marine Corps after which he carved out a career at Haliburton. He retired after 30 years, but he couldn’t sit still for long. He got a job at SitePro where oversees a tool-fleet valued at over $14 million, with everything from skid steers to massive booms, serving both contractors and DIY folks who don’t want to buy but need to lift.
There can be a lot of satisfaction in doing home repairs and renovations yourself. If you know what to do you can go on down to Site Pro, see Troy, and get the tools you need to do it. If you don’t know what to do, satisfaction is replaced by frustration and it’s better, faster, and ultimately cheaper to get someone who does know what they’re doing to come do it for you. In Acadiana we can thank Grant and the Master’s Guild for making sure we have those folks to call on.
Out to Lunch Acadiana was recorded live over lunch at Tsunami Sushi in downtown Lafayette. Photos by Astor Morgan.
